Flying saucer and space patrol toy



July 15, 1958 F. F. BORTOLAZZO ,8

' FLYING SAUCER AND SPACE PATROL TOY FilQd' NOV. 23, 1956 INVENTOR.

Wgfiannuzzo Un t d S es Paten FLYING SAUCER AND SPACE PATROL TOY Frank F. Bortolazzo, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Application November 23, 1956, Serial No. 624,082

1 Claim. (Cl. 46-47) This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to toys simulating the action of flying disks or saucers.

Toys relating to air and space travel are usually quite fascinating to children, especially where the toy includes various mechanical actions. An object of this invention therefore is to provide a simulated space disk or saucer that is simple in construction, attractive in appearance, and which includes various action elements simulating a disk in flight.

Another object of this invention is to provide a flying saucer toy that is mounted for rotation about an inclined central axis and has various figures automatically moved between an exposed and hidden position.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view, with parts broken away, showing a toy made in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Figure 2, showing the sliding relationship between certain elements;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the slideable components used in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing a modified form of construction; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of toy.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawing, a toy made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a simulated flying saucer or disk 10 that is rotatably mounted upon a post 12 which is rigidly secured to a stationary base 11. The upper end of the post 12 is provided with a point and extends upwardly through the lower wall 14 of the disk into engagement with a bearing 15 secured to the inside of the upper wall 16. The post also extends through a central bearing 17 in the middle of a centrally disposed web 18 that extends through the middle of the disk. It will be recognized, therefore, that the rigid post 12 rotatably supports the disk 10 in a fixed plane that is inclined relative to the fixed base 11 that is adapted to be supported upon a substantially horizontal surface. A friction type motor 20 is secured to the lower wall 14 and has a drive pinion 21 in meshing engagement with a reduction gear 22 that is secured to the adjacent portion of the post 12. Thus, by manually imparting rotation to the disk 10, suflicient energy may be stored in the friction motor 20 to continue to rotate the disk for an additional period of time.

As is more clearly shown in Figures 2 to 4, a separate figure 24, which may be in the form of a man, gun, etc., is mounted for longitudinal sliding movement along each radial arm 25 of the central web 18. Each of these arms V ings, said simulated figures being movable by gravity be-- 2,842,895 Patented July 15, 1958v is of channel-shaped cross section with inwardly turned flanges 26 defining a T-shaped slot. Each figure 24 has a downwardly depending post 28 that is adapted to be received between the flanges 26, and a widened plate 29 that is received within the enlarged slot and retained against this assembly from the radial arms 25. The figures 24, which may be made of any easily slideable material, are moved by gravity from a hidden position adjacent to the central post 12, to an exposed position adjacent to the windows 30 along the peripheral edge of the upper wall 16 as the inclination of the arm 25 is turned downwardly during the rotation of the inclined disk. Similarly, the figures are returned to a hidden position as the disk rotates and the supporting arm 25 is inclined upwardly. The friction motor 20 and reduction gear 22 not only rotates the disk at a slow enough speed to permit this action to be observed, but also produces a stimulating sound effect.

In Figure 5, a modified form of radial arm 25a is shown having a smaller channel-shaped cutout that supports the downwardly depending post 31 of the figure 24, in which a further depending plate 33 is spaced from the post 31 by a section of reduced diameter. The reduced diameter section is slideably received between the facing flanges of the arm, while the lower plate "33 prevents the removal of the figure outwardly from the slideslot of the arm.

A modified form of toy, made in accordance with this invention, is shown in Figure 6, wherein the disk or saucer 40 has a housing that includes an upper wall 41 that is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced window openings 43. While a radially extending arm 25 is provided for each Window opening 30 in the aforementioned embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the present embodiment includes a figure 45 that is pivotally supported from a bracket 44 that depends downwardly from the upper wall 41 adjacent to each window opening 43. Each figure 45 is provided with a rearwardly and upwardly extending leg 47 that is hingedly connected to the;

bracket 44 so that the figure 45 is visible through they window 43 when inclined downwardly, but is retracted: inwardly of the housing to a hidden position 45a when; the adjacent side of the housing is inclined upwardly. In:: either embodiment, the motor and gear assembly may be: dispensed with, whereby the disk may be manually rotated to produce substantially the same effect.

Therefore, while this invention has been described with particular reference to the specific forms shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is 'best defined by the claim appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

An amusement device comprising, in combination, a

base, a post inclined to and secured to said base, a spheroidal disc housing rotatably carried upon said post for rotation in a single plane inclined to the plane of said base and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said post, said housing defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart window openings adjacent to the outer periphery thereof, a plurality of radially extending and longitudinally grooved arms lying in a single plane common to the central plane of said housing, a simulated figure slidably supported upon each one of said radially extending arms in proximity to each one of said opentween a hidden position within the interior of said housing and an exposed position adjacent to each said opening in response to rotation of said disc upon said post, and an inertia motor within said housing for rotating said disc relative to said post for sequentially moving said simu- 1515a figiifs betweefi sa'id fes'pctive hidden and exposed References Cited in tlie file of this patent 7 UNITEii STATES PATENTS MCAZHCC 30, 

